the Lord Ios 24. Otherwise that sharpe sentence belongeth to thee Rom. 2.17 Thou that saist a man should not steale dost thou steale c. The duty of Maisters towards seruants Gen. 18.19 Maisters doe also owe a duty vnto their seruants as being fathers of their families They must teach them also and command them to feare the Lord as Abraham his houshold 2. Not bee too harsh towards them by ouer-correcting by churlish vsage by too sore labouring them but to vse them as those that remember that they also haue a master in Heauen according to that Col. 4.1 Yee maisters doe vnto your seruants that is iust and equall There must be discretion therefore vsed in corrections Sins against God are more seuerely to be punished then against themselues if they be often more if seldome lesse if obstinately or of purpose more if by infirmity lesse And for labour they must remember that the righteous man is merciful to his beast much more to his seruant 3. They must duely recompence their labour with fit maintenance and wages Iam. 5.4 for there is a cry against those that keepe backe their wages which commeth vp to heauen for vengeance 4. They must not despise their good counsell if they can aduise them well at any time but follow it as Naaman did his seruants and Iob acknowledgeth of himselfe saying If I haue despised the iudgement of my seruant and my mayd when they did contend with me Iob 31.13 For what auaileth it for a seruant to bend his minde for his maisters good if his aduice be neuer heard It had been better for the Leuite in his trauell if he had heard his seruant counselling him Iudic. 19. he had escaped a great danger which he doing contrary fell into The duty of Princes to subiects Kings Princes all Magistrates do owe a duty to their subiects to the coÌ„mon people which is to deale iustly truly with them to be coragious to maintaine the right and to hate couetousnesse Exod. 18.2 as Jethro did wisely counsell Moses to prouide for in setting Iudges ouer the people to iudge the fatherlesse and widdow Esa 1.16 supporting them in their iust causes not to lift vp themselues aboue their brethren or pressing them too much with charges Deut 17 19. as the Lord commandeth to the Kings of Israel to reward the good and to punish the euill which is the maine cause why he beareth the sword and hath the Scepter committed to him The duty of Ministers to peopâ—e 2 Tim 4.2 Ezâ—ch 3.17 Ministers owe a duty to their people which is publikely to pray for them and with them to preach the word vnto them with diligence in season and out of season to watch ouer them as Ezechiel is charged to espye their danger by reason of their sinnes and to admonish them with all earnestnesse euen as watchmen doe when the City is in danger by the enemies comming to care for them studying how best to further their sanctification 1 Pet. 5.2 as Peter exhorteth Feed the flocke of Christ that dependeth on you caring for it not to domineere or tyrannically to rule ouer them Verse 3. as it followeth Not as Lords ouer Gods heritage but that yet may bee examples to the flocke Ephes 1. And lastly in their priuate dayly prayers to commend them to the Lord as Paul professeth that he did for the Ephesians and Thessalonians 1 Thes 1.2 Ephes 6.28 Duty of Husbans to their Wiues Ephes 5.30 1 Cor. 14.34 1 Pet. 3.7 c. and as the people are also bound to pray for the Minister 1 Cor. 7 3. Husbands owe a duty to their wiues which is to loue them dearly euen as their owne flesh as Christ loueth his Church to teach them if they would or ought to know any thing to dwell with them as men of vnderstanding and not to liue separate and to keepe their bodies as proper and peculiar by a sacred band to them onely and not as their owne to abuse them with other women or to deny them to their lawfull wife as the wife is also bound to her husband The duty of rich toward the poore 1. Tâ—â—â— 6.17 The rich owe a duty towards the poore and such as bee meaner which is not to carry themselues haughtily and proudly towards them for against this the Apostle giueth warning Warne rich men that they be not high-minded Wherefore as meaner persons giue them reuerence so let them bee courteous to the poorest and another duty is to distribute of their goods vnto the poore as it followeth in the same place That they doe good and be rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate This if they doe not they are false stewards and shall be turned quite out of office and haue their portion with hypocrites 7 If any bee learned or excelleth in any faculty or science his duty is not to bee strange and lifted vp in the sight of his gifts but to doe the more good to seeke in all humility to winne the more glory to God As Apollo is commended to haue done Acts 18. mightily confuting the Iewes out of the Scriptures and Paul that did so much excell became all things to all men that hee might winne some Quest 89. What is here forbidden Answ All irreuerence towards those that bee in place and authority aboue v and churlish behauiour in such towards those that be of a low degree Explan Before that we come to speake of the sinnes something is here to be premised Wherefore is the duty of Inferiours onely expressed in this Commandement and not of Superiours if all be alike bound heereby Answ The Commandement indeed is heere in singular and different from the rest but this omission doth not giue any whit the more liberty to Superiours because Parents and children Maisters Seruants c. are relatiues so that the duty of the one cannot be set downe but the duty of the other is by the rule of relation vnderstood nay Superiors are more taxed heereby if they faile of their duty as being of more vnderstanding such as therefore must more readily doe without any pressing by expresse words seeing which is also a more speciall motiue they are as Gods towards others in authority in maiesty in greatnesse and in reuerend antiquity Oh how foule a thing is it then in them not to carry them selues accordingly if it be a fault in inferiours in any thing to neglect their duty much more are they faulty in neglecting theirs because they doe not onely neglect their duty which they ought to doe but being so strongly bound by Gods beneficence towards them and it being presumed so far of their readinesse on Gods part for this honour giuen vnto them that as though meere conscience would not suffer them to be so fouly negligent he maketh no mention of that which they ought to doe
tedious and thinke that they keepe the Sabbath as well as any other or as they need to doe and more especially if there be nothing but diuine seruice at the Church But let all such know their errour and repent of it they doe indeed sanctifie the Lords day but it is not after the Lords but their owne manner and therefore cannot be accepted of no more then a master can accept of the best indeauours of his seruant at home at that time when he appointeth him to trauell about his busines abroad For the Lord doth now appoint thee to attend him in the publike place Acts 3. hee hath now imployment for thee there Christ himself the holy Prophets and Apostles lurked not at such times in corners or in priuat houses but went vp to the Temple to pray to preach to conuerse with Gods people in publike duties Acts 2 41. Here is the place where Gods ordinance is chiefely vsed and only at the times appointed heere the Lords presence is promised here hath his glory euer shined by the conuersion of soules and sometime of thousands at once Let the proud seperatist therefore goe by himselfe now into corners as ouer-iust in his owne esteeme to come with others to Gods ordinance in publike let the idle or daintie Sabbath-keeper stay at home in his blind priuate deuotion and the ouer scrupulous absent themselues from Church in the case of no preaching at that time let those contemne publike prayer that know not Gods house the Church to be the house of Prayer But let all that feare the Lord feare thus to peruert the Lords day least in so doing sinne lye at their doores The second head Head 2. Forgetfulnes of the Sabbath vnto which I referre the prophaning of the Sabbath is all forgetfulnesse of this day vpon the sixe either in generall in any of them or in particular the day before according to our distinction when I spake of the dutie in the word Remember and it may haue reference also to the Sabbath past Remember how holy thou wert then what rules of holines thou wert then taught how thou didst then make shew of a good disciple of Christ when thou sattest to learne thy lesson of him as Saul who fell downe before the Lord and said Lord what wouldest thou haue mee to doe Acts 9. 1. Sam. 2. and as Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth Least doing contrariwise in the weeke-dayes after and as one that rather listeneth to Satan and to thine owne corrupt heart thou be condemned out of thine owne mouth for drawing neere vnto God with thy lips but hauing thine hart farre estranged from him The third head Head 3. Neglect of inferiours vnto which I referre the prophaning of the Sabbath is by leauing such as are vnder our gouernment to their owne vnbridled and licentious liberty vpon the Sabbath day which is no small fault in parents masters and gouernours For whilst euery priuate man doth thus neglect his domestick charge the minister may preach reproue admonish and teach but little wil it profit to bring them to the right obseruation of Christian duties Besides doth it not grieue any good parents or masters to see their children or seruants miscarry and come to misery but to be negligent of them at these times is the right way to bring them to all lewdnesse and consequently to smart and misery for which they may also then with heauy hearts thanke their gouernors that were too gentle and remisse towards them 1. Sam. 2. as Ely was vnto his children whose lamentable estate in his children and posteritie what hard heart can reade of without relenting Quest 83. What be the reasons of this Commandement Answ They are partly infolded in the Commandement and partly expressed in these words for in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea c. Quest. 84. What are the reasons infolded in the commandement Answ Three 1. Because the law of the Sabbath is ancient and was of force in Paradice before mans fall 2 Because it is most equall the Lord allowing vs sixe dayes for our worldly affaires and requiring but one of seuen for the workes of his worship 3. Because the seuenth is the Lords peculiar day so that without sacriledge we cannot any way prophane it Reasons infoulded in this Commandement Explan This commandement being of maine and speciall vse for the furthering of true godlinesse and such as vpon which the rest of the law hangeth is therefore both placed in the middest and because man naturally is most vnapt to bee moued with the reuerence hereof fortified with many reasons beyond the rest Which reasons are euery one of great force partly infolded and not distinctly placed out of the words of the commandement and partly expressed and set downe at large by themselues Reas 1 The first reason infolded is taken from the word Remember as if the Lord should haue said Howsoeuer all the rest of these lawes haue hitherto passed without such expresse mention especially when mans nature was vncorrupt in Paradise yet this law of the Sabbath was expressely giuen at that time and now I giue you warning only to remember it as most ancient and euer vsed amongst all my deuout people so that if old customs wil beare any sway with you the very remembrance of this must needs be of force to moue you to keepe holy my Sabbaths Or else Remember is a reason of force because it is a note of special charge for the duty vnto which it is prefixed For when a master commandeth his seruants diuers things and would chiefely haue some one thing done hee impresseth it with this word remember as if hee should say I would not haue that neglected or forgotten by any meanes If therefore any earnest speciall charge giuen by the Lord be of any force with thee if the old custome of Gods Church euer since the creation bee of any force doe not prophane but keepe holy the Sabbath day Reason 2 Gene. 2. The second reason infolded is taken from these wordes Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. as if the Lord should haue said It is no vnreasonable matter or hard vnto thee that I require in bidding thee keepe holy the Sabbath day it is but one day of seauen I allow thee six for the workes of thy calling I will be content onely with the seuenth though I haue made all the dayes and could require six and leaue thee but one therefore doe thou willingly keepe this day This is a reason of great moment and oftentimes onely vsed as being alone sufficient to mooue any honest heart to obedience In Paradise it was the maine reason to Adam and Euah Ye shall eate of all the trees in the garden but of the tree in the middest ye shall not eat it was the reason vsed to mooue the Israelites to let their land rest the seuenth yeare that the poore might haue some comfort
first then the second and the first last Quest. 1 Math 19.19 First What is your dutie towards your neighbour For hauing finished our dutie towards God in the next place cōmeth to be considered our dutie towards our neighbor which is only generally and at large here laid down in the Catechisme in imitation of our Sauiour Christ who being asked which were the Commandements answered The first is Thou shalt loue the Lord c the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self to the young man which asked which they were Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not beare false witnes honor thy father mother and thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe And the Apostle in the same briefe manner giueth the summe of these cōmandements not that good Christians should not search any further into the depth of thē but content themselues with this short epitom for they doe more largely in other places expresse euery brāch of euery of these Lawes Math. 5. and Christ doth in precise words taxe the blind Iewes for thus slighting ouer Gods lawes teaching only thus Thou shalt not k ll then shalt not commit adultery c. and not teaching further the sins here forbidden These briefes therefore serue for remembrances for the wekest memories which when they are held and rightly vnderstood doe acquaint vs more fully with Gods will in euery thing Quest 2 Who is our neighbour Secondly Jn which Commaundemement is your dutie towards your neighbour Good reason is it that our dutie towards our neighbour should be placed in a second Table after that containing our dutie towards God both because God is the most high and farre aboue men and Angels and also because this must be the first wheele as it were that must set vs a worke to loue our neighbour euen for our duties sake toward God who requireth it at our hands Now our neighbour is euery man without exception vnlesse God hath noted him for his enemie though hee dwelleth among the furthest Indies and wee neuer see him though he bee our enemie yet we are bound to loue him and if by Gods prouidence wee be brought to behold his necessitie at any time wee are bound to shew our loue by putting to our helping hand This is made plaine by the parable of the Samaritan Luke 10.30 who in his trauell saw a man wounded by theeues and helpelesse vnto whom though hee were a stranger hee shewed mercy powring oile into his wounds and setting him on his owne beast Esa 58.7 and by the Lord commending to vs our dutie towards our poore neighbour Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and to bring the poore wandring into thy house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thy owne flesh so that whosoeuer is flesh as thou art is thy neighbour Quest 3 This commandement exceedeth the rest Ephe. 6.1 Thirdly let this question follow Which is the first of these Commaundements Honour thy father and thy mother c. This Commandement hath in it some thing singular and wherein it exceedeth the rest of this Table viz. a promise according as the Apostle hath noted It is the first Commandement with promise Namely the first of the second Table or the first and onely Commaundement with a speciall promise expressely annexed so as it is not the promise of the second Commandement which is generall and belonging to all But I speake this onely according to the reason of others for without doubt the Apostle calleth it in the same sense the first Commaundement and the Commandement with promise so vsuall is it with him speaking of the Commaundements to restraine them to this second Table onely And as the first of the first Table is the ground of al the rest so is this first of the second Table the ground of the fiue Commaundements following In that first is commended vnto vs a right esteeme of God in this of man made after Gods image and specially bearing Gods Image in him of the Magistrate bearing the Image of his authoritie and power whence he is said to bee a God Psal 82.1 of the ancient bearing the image of his eternitie whence it is that he is said to haue appeared as one ancient of dayes Dan. 9 37. of parents bearing the image of the Creatour of things which before were not of Tutours Ministers and Teachers bearing the image of his wisedome and diuine knowledge And where this due esteeme of men according to their places is setled and againe in superiours towards their inferiours the duties of the other commandements will easily follow euen as when God is rightly set vp in the heart hee is not disgraced by base Images by blasphemies and prophaning of his Sabaoths so giue the honour due to the Parents magistrates masters and instructers and murthering adultery theft false witnesses and coueting will easily bee put away Murthering of a superiour is a debasing of him as of an Oxe or Sheep when he beareth the Image of God in him of an inferiour it is an extinguishing of that reciprocall affection by which thou shouldst bee prouident for his safety because he giueth honour vnto thee Adultery in a superiour is a vilefying of his body making it the member of a foule strumpet when God hath graced him with a resemblance of himselfe in an inferiour it is a grosse neglect of the counsell of good parents and of wise tutors and of the magistrates authority Theft is a trumpet to sound forth our discontent with our present estates and our enuying in stead of honouring others False witnesse-bearing is a plaine shaking off and rooting out of our hearts and the hearts of others this esteeme of our superiours and branding them so as that they may be had in base accompt And for couetousnesse there will be no roome left for these desires if there be a setled esteeme of euery man in his place with his house his wife his oxe and other things about him Quest 88. What is heere commanded Answ To honour That is to loue reuerence cherish and obey our naturall parents the parents of our Countrey and our fathers in Christ 2. To carry our selues lowly and reuerently towards our masters being ruled by them and towards the ancient and all our betters 3. Jf wee bee superiours to walke worthy the honour due vnto vs from our inferiours and to vse all gentlenesse towards them Father how taken Explan That we may the better know the duty of this Commandement it is to be vnderstood that the word Father is diuersly taken in the Scriptures euen for euery superiour in any thing 1. For our superiour in gouernment thus euery King is called a Father because he is Parens Patriae the Father of the Countrey it was a common name of the Kings of the Philistines who were called Abimelech Gen 20.3 which
is the King my father 2. For a Superiour in knowledge and in wise counsell thus the counsellours of State are Fathers of the State as Ioseph Pharaohs chiefe Councellour speaketh of himselfe God hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh Gen. 45 8. and Pharaoh caused the name Abrech that is Father to bee proclaimed before him and the Senatours of Rome were commonly called Patres conscripti reuerend Fathers 3. For a Superiour in priuate and houshold gouernment thus masters of families are called Patres Familias Fathers of the Familie as Naaman the Syrian is called Father by his seruants 4. For a Superiour 2 King 5.13 in the inuention of any Art or Science Gen. 4. thus Iubal is said to be the father of all that play on the Organs and harpe and Iabal the father of all that make tents 5. For a Superiour in things spirituall towards God thus the Ministers of the Gospell are called Fathers in Christ because that through that spirituall knowledge and grace exceeding others they beget men vnto God 1 Cor. 4.5 as Paul who therefore cals the Galatians his little children and professeth to the Corinthians that hee onely was their father for J begat you saith hee vnto Christ 6. For a Superiour in holinesse and power with God thus the King of Israel calleth Elisha Father saying of the Hoast of the Syrians 2 Kings 6.21 Shall I smite them my Father 7. 2. Kings 2.12 For a Superiour in ouersight and instruction thus Elishab called Elijah who brought him vp in the knowldge of prophesying My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horse-men thereof 8. For a Superiour in estate and condition thus rich men vsing their riches aright are fathers of the poore Iob 31.28 From my youth hee hath growne vp with mee as with a father saith Iob. 9. For a Superior in age and yeares thus the gray-headed is called a father and the ancient are as fathers to be exhorted and not to bee rebuked 10 According to the common acception amongst children 1 Tim. 5.1 there is a naturall father and mother which beget beare and bring vs foorth and vp in the world and if one of them dieth or he or shee that suruiueth bee married againe and hee or shee vnto whom is now made also thy father or mother though not by nature yet by law and there is an honour due vnto them Superiours diuers wayes To honour is to giue that reuerend respect which is due to euery superiour whether in authority and power in place and calling or in worth and dignitie 1. In authoritie and power some are superiors by the law of nature some by the law of nations and some by the law of contract By the law of nature our naturall father and mother who are instruments of our very being by whose tender care wee are preserued in our infancy when we cannot help our selues they are therfore to be recompenced by our giuing of due honor vnto them Ephes 6.1 Col 3.20 And this is first obedience in all things in the Lord Children obey your parents in the Lord. Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord and he is an vnnaturall beast and no childe that giueth not this obedience vnto both father and mother 2. To beare their corrections with submission of this the Apostle speaketh as of a most common thing euen in children that haue nothing but nature to guide them Heb. 12.9 Wee haue had the fathers of our bodies correcting vs and wee gaue them reuerence 3. To reuerence them in giuing them all outward respect which is due to chiefe superiors and fearing to offend them for from hence the Lord taketh his comparison Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master if I then be a Father where is mine honour if I be a master where is my feare 4. To cherish them and to giue them maintenance in time of need When the Pharisees did by their traditions vnder a pretence of holines dispence with this duty they were reproued by our Sauiour Christ for hypocrisie saying Why doe yee transgresse the commandement of God by your tradition Matth. 15.3.4.5.6 for God hath commanded Honour thy father and thy mother But yee say Whosoeuer shall say to father and mother by the gift that is offered by me thou mayest haue profit though hee honour not his father and mother shall be free That is if he dedicate his goods and suffer them to want whereas hee might therewith haue relieued them If a Widdow hath children or nephewes saith Saint Paul let them learne first to shew godlinesse towards their owne house 1. Tim. 5.4 and to recompence their kindred for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God Which he further expoundeth afterwards saying Jf any faithfull man or woman haue widdowes that is Verse 16. to their mothers or aunts let them minister vnto them and let not the Church that is other Christians bee charged And God hath made the Storke a wonderfull example to condemne children that are this way vnnaturall to their parents in their age for she nourisheth and bringeth food to her parents in their old age wherefore she hath the name Chesidah Pious or Mercifull in Hebrew And in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth this kind of mutuall retribution being deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Storke In these things consisteth the honour due to father and mother and for examples wee may take Iacob who obeyed his father and mother in the choyce of his wife and Shem and Japhet who reuerenced their father Noah and went backward and couered his nakednesse and Ioseph who recompenced his father Iaacobs care with prouiding for him in his old age and all holy men who haue readily performed these duties They are wicked children therefore and accursed as breaking this Commandement in the head that do continually greeue their godly parents by their disobedience and light esteeme of them liuing out of all good order being Drunkards and Swaggerers and plunging into the estate of marriage without yea contrary to their liking The Lord prouided of old that such should be put to death If any man hath a disobedient son Deut. 21.18.19.20 which will not hearken to the voyce of his father nor the voyce of his mother and they haue chastened him and he will not obey them Then shall they take him and bring him out And all the men of the City shall stone him with stones vnto death Honour due to Magistrates Rom. 13.1 The Superiours in authority by the Law of Nations are Magistrates and Gouernours of the Common-wealth The honour due to them is 1. To be subiect vnto them according to that precept Let euery soule bee subiect to the higher powers And againe 1. Pet. 2.13.14 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether
Disobedience Touching the sins against this Commandement they are of two sorts as the duties were 1. Of Inferiours 2. Of Superiours The sinne of Inferiours is irreuerence that is to be without that awfull regard which ought to be towards Superiours and it may be referred to these heads 1. Disobedience and refusing to doe and to bee ruled thus stubborne and vnruly children and seruants sinne greatly and stubborne people that will not yeeld to follow the directions of Ministers they were by Gods censure all subiect to the same most fearefull punishment viz. to bee stoned to death For it was the plaine Law of God touching children See before in their duties to parents Deut. 21.18 And for people it was commanded Thou shalt doe according to all that they that is Deut 17.10.11 12. the Priests and Leuites teach thee According to the Law that they teach thee thou shalt not decline neither to the right hand nor to the left And that man that will doe presumptuosly not harkning to the Priest shall dye Thus people that obey not the wholsome lawes of the Magistrates sinne greatly and if any refuse to be ordered by them they resist the ordinance of God Rom 13.2 and are specially threatned that they shall receiue to themselues condemnation Quest Is it a sinne then in any thing to doe contrary to the Kings lawes for examples sake to eate flesh in Lent or vpon Fridayes Answ If the intent of this Law were that euery one should vse this abstinence without exception it were a sinne to disobey vnlesse necessity did compell but the chiefe politique intent being that Fisher-men might haue vtterance for their fish and so be encouraged for the good of the Common-wealth as the title of that Law sheweth and that young things might in Lent be preserued and not spent before they come to some age and greatnesse if this bee obserued and the Law be not purposely crossed I take it that it is no sinne of disobedience against the higher powers in regard of the ciuill and politicall prohibition and the like is to be thought of all other statute-lawes their intent and scope must be duly by all good subiects obserued Quest It is a sin for children to disobey their Parents by deuoting themselues in their youth to any religious course or order or without or contrary to their liking Numb 30.1 Math 15.4 Answ Yea doubtlesse for God hath taken order that such a vow as vnlawfull should be counted of no force It is therfore meerely pharisaicall in the Romanists that in this case allow nay commend disobedience of young and ignorant children in deuoting themselues to any Monasticall order though to the great offence of Parents 2. Fraudulent and deceitfull obedience Thus seruants sin when they obey and vse diligence in their masters sight Deceitfulnes but are slothfull and negligent behinde their backs they rob and steale from them taking meat drinke and wages to doe their worke with diligence but contrariwise neglect it and prefer their own ease they can haue but cold comfort when they looke to the great Lord of all Christ Iesus that seeth all their sloth and deceit 3. Deriding and scoffing at Superiours as Ham mocked at his father Noah for which he was accursed in himselfe Gen. 9. Deriding Superiours and posterity This is a common vice in wayward youth when they are taught any thing that is good or admonished of their vanity if not openly which they dare not yet in heart they mocke at the admonitions of Parents Masters and Ministers But see what a cutse of God is out against them Pro. 30.17 The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young eagles eate it This irreuerent scoffing neuer escaped Gods punishing hand The children that mocked Elisha 2 King 2. calling him Bald-pate were suddenly torne in pieces by Beares to two forty of them The Ephraimites that mocked Iphtah and his Gileadites calling them runagates of Ephraim were slaine to two forty thousands Nahash with his Ammonites 1 Sam. 11. that mocked at the conditions of peace offered by tbe men of Iabesh Gilead saying that if they might put out euery mans right eye and bring that shame vpon Israel they should haue peace were all slaine scattered so as that not two of them were left together And what fearefull end the Iewes came to that mocked at Christ and the holy Apostles wee all know Feare therefore to scoffe at any good man but much more at such as thou oughtest to reuerence for his place and function Cursing Superioâ—rs Exod. 21.17 Exod. 22.28 4 Cursing and backbiting Superiours Hee that curseth Father or Mother shall die the Death And the Lord expressely commandeth Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudge nor speake euill of the Ruler of the people Thus therefore children seruants people that let loose their tongues against their Gouernors to curse and raile vpon them take the right way to bring Gods curse vpon themselues Numb 23 Balaams case shall be easier at the last day then theirs for he durst not curse where God forbade him 5 Irreuerent gestures towards Superiours in any particular mentioned before in the duty Too much obedience to Superiours Now as this Law is broken by detracting and taking away from the reuerence of Superiours so their is a sinne in ouer reuerencing them 1 If obedience be absolute without respect to Gods will for there we must say with the Apostle Acts 4.19 Wee must rather obey God then men If Parents or Masters bid thee lye steale worke vpon the Sabbatth or the like for their gaine thou must in all modesty deny so to doe If Kings and Rulers command Idolatry Superstition or Heresie obey not lest escaping their hands thou fall into the hands of the Lord. Quest Whether is a Minister of Gods Word being forbidden to preach by the Magistrate to forbeare to execute this his office of Preaching seeing the Apostle did not though straightly charged Ministers suspended may not preach Answ The ordinary Ministers of these times are bound in this case to obey the Magistrate as touching the publike execucution of their office because that howsoeuer they haue an inward calling from God yet their outward to the publike place is from man or by man and may againe bee taken away by man but it was not so with the Apostles who as the other Ministers of those times were immedialy and extraordinarily set a worke by God onely The onely preaching that they may now in this case exercise is by way of conference and exhortation in priuate prouided alwayes that it be not contrary but as the Law doth allow otherwise the power is resisted Here we may see what the Anabaptists are that are enemies to authority viz. euen a sinagogue of fantastick braine-sick soules enemies to Gods ordinance and so are many other humorus
vertues necessarily required in euery man that his Baptisme may be compleat and that this Sacrament may not be abused to the indangering of the soule but rightly vsed to the saluation thereof Now to this end there must be repentance and Faith Repentance is here briefly said to be a forsaking of sinne as wherein the chiefe power thereof consisteth according to the description hereof made by Iohn the Baptist who hauing exhorted those that come to his Baptisme to Repentance vpon enquiry made by them what then they should doe answereth to the people He that hath two coates let him part with him that hath none Luk 3.10.11.12 c. To the Publicans Require no more then that which is appointed vnto you And to the Soldiers Doe violence to no man neyther accuse any man falsly and be content with your wages which is in effect forsake your speciall sinnes vncharitablenesse extortion violence and mutening Quest. 132. Wherein standeth true Repenrance Answ In three things 1. In a knowledge and acknowledgment of our sinnes past 2. In godly sorrow and griefe of heart for them 3. In a constant purpose to forsake all sinne and to leade a new life for all time to come Explan Repentance is a word both in English Latine and Greeke of that signification that it implyeth a new course begunne vpon a better after-consideration and it is set forth by euery one of these three things in the Scriptuâ—es 1. It is an acknowledgement of sinne for Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prou. 28.13 And when the Prophet would teach the people a right form of repentance he teacheth them to say thus We lie downe in our confusion Ier. 3 25. and our shame couereth vs for we haue sinned against the Lord our God we and our Fathers from our youth vp euen vnto this day c. Now that there may be this acknowledgemet there must needes be a knowledge and consideration had of sinne seeing no man will confesse as a loathsome burthen what he knoweth not and findeth not to be dangerous being concealed and hidden as sinne is when it is not confessed The Prodigall sonne would neuer haue come to confesse vnto his Father Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee vnlesse he had first had a sense of his misery neither will the blinde and ignorant person that seeth not by the glasse of the Law his foule sinnes and misery by reason of the curse due to him therefore come to confesse them to God the Father 2. Repentance is godly sorrow for sinne such as was in Dauid Psal 51.17 who bewailing his sinnes saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou will not despise Math. â—4 Wherefore Blessed are they that mourne saith the Lord for they shall be comforted that is They that truely repent them of their sinnes weeping and mourning for them according to the direction giuen by Ioel Ioel 2.12 Turne you vnto mee with all your heart with fasting with weeping and with mourning He that mourneth not for his sins maketh his repentance the labour of his lips when he confesseth them and so doth adde vnto his sins abomination in stead of taking the right way for their expiation Whereas godly sorrow is said to cause repentance and so seemeth to be no par thereof it is to bee vnderstood that repentance is there more strictly taken for the forsaking of sinne as appeareth by the description of it following 2 Cor. 7.11 For behold this thing that yee haue beene godly sorry what care it hath wrought in you what clearing of your selues what indignation what feare how great desire what zeale what punishment that is how penitent it hath made you is manifest by your care to forsake sinne your feare of falling againe your clearing and purging of your hearts from sinne c. 3. And thus we are come to that which is thirdly called repentance the forsaking of all sinne and leading a new life And euery one of these may well bee said to bee repentance because they are so necessarily linked vnto one another as that by whom the one is rightly performed the other are performed also He that forsaketh his sinnes must needs first haue a knowledge of his horrible estate by sinne be stricken with sorrow and humbly come vnto God to confesse and craue pardon otherwise his heart wil tell him that it auaileth little to depart from sinne for the time to come Againe he that seeth how odious his sinnes are and confesseth them must needs haue griefe of heart therefore and hee knoweth that all this will little auaile if with the dogge he shall reeturne to his vomit and with the swine to the wallowing in the mire If it be said Cain repented then and Ahab and Iudas seeing they confessed or sorrowed out of the sight of their sinnes I answere it is true they repented indeed in some sort but they erred in that the feare of punishment and the sight of fearfull iudgements hanging ouer their heads caused this sorrow and confession in them whereas in such as are true penitents confession and sorrow ariseth from the sight of the duty which wee ought to haue done and of the many bonds of Gods fauour towards vs whereby we were bound to haue done it all which notwithstanding we haue neglected it and haue done the contrary thus requiting our good Lord euill for good cleauing to sinne and Satan his and our vtter enemies when hee hath dealt so bountifully with vs that we should follow and serue him For the sorrow and confeision that ariueth from hence are neuer ended in desperation but in reformation and amendement of life that our gracious Lord may not be offended any more Acts 2.37 Acts 16 3â— Now that this repentance is necessary that our baptisme may become effectuall is plaine from the teaching of Iohn the first baptizer as hath beene already shewed and from the practice of the Christian Church of God when the Gospell began first to be preached abroad in the world Peter exhorteth not to Baptisme vntill that they were pricked in their hearts and cryed out Men and bretheren what shall we doe And the Iaylor first trembled and asked Sirs what must I doe to be saued before that he was baptized And it were indeed a prepostrous course for a man of yeares and vnderstanding to be baptized before repentance as before couenants made for a maister to giue his cognizance to retaine any into his seruice or to seale him a lease or grant of any thing before some duty or seruice done For Baptisme is Gods cognizance and without repentance there are no couenants made It is Gods seale set to the greatest grant in the world but without all seruice or duty where repentance is wanting Wherfore repentance is necessary in all such as would haue their baptisme effectuall to confirme Gods mercy vnto them there